


Family Hospital Excursions

by Azeran



Series: Camp Camp [1]
Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Adopted Max (Camp Camp), David is in the second chapter briefly, Established Relationship, F/M, Gen, gwenvid - Freeform, parental custody, this fic heavily features Gwen and Max
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 12:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19273636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azeran/pseuds/Azeran
Summary: Gwen knew she wasn’t feeling well, but it took Max giving a shit for things to really sink in.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Established Gwenvid+Max family storyline. He’s adopted, they all live together, and they share an apartment and life together. That’s about all the details you need!

Gwen felt like shit, and that was putting it lightly. For the past day or so her stomach was cramping like crazy, shooting a sharp pain throughout her navel anytime she so much as moved. It felt like her normal period, but on steroids. And she had crazy nausea, because cramps weren’t miserable enough on their own. Just her luck. The couch was quickly becoming her new home, since she’d barely moved off it since the pain started. If not for Max still needing some sort of caretaker, Gwen would’ve already chugged a few Tylenol pm and gone the fuck back to sleep. She was still debating it when the little shit in question appeared at the foot of the couch, looking at her with an expression Gwen knew he’d never admit was concerned.

“You look like shit.”

Brat. “Thanks Max.” Gwen rolled her eyes, sinking deeper into the web of blankets she’d spun around herself. Ugh, moving hurt. “Glad I can always count on you to make me feel good about myself.”

“I’m being serious! You don’t look good,” Max huffed. A brown hand smacked down on Gwen’s forehead, and almost immediately got jerked away. “Jesus fuck Gwen, you’re burning up.”

A fever? Huh. Her periods never came with fevers. There was a first time for everything though. “I’m fine. Give me another day or two, and it’ll all fade.” Because fuck her body and how it worked. Gwen’s periods always started with pain first; no blood. One more day, and she’d probably start gushing like a fountain, the pain a distant, foggy memory. Until next month anyway. 

“It’s too early for your period, idiot. You don’t start for another week!”

Gwen squinted at the kid, doing the mental math. “Why do you know that?” He was right though; her period was like clockwork usually, to the point where she could calculate the exact date it’d start. And so, apparently, could Max. “That’s really fucking weird kid. What, are you counting my tampons in the trash?”

Max scowled. “You use pads. And I know, because we live in a tiny apartment with three people! I’d be stupid not to.” He jabbed her shoulder, cerulean eyes dark with some mangled emotions Gwen was definitely not in the mood to pick apart. “Now stop trying to change the subject! You’re sick. Really sick.” 

“I’m fine.” A violent jab of pain made Gwen shudder, earning a cynical laugh from her and David’s ward. “Look Max, I think I know my body pretty well by now, ok? This is totally normal.” 

“Yeah. Normal.” Max crossed his arms, petulantly nodding to Gwen’s cell sitting on the coffee table. “I should call David and have him come home. He’d knock some sense into you.”

Gwen cringed. Oh god, please no. David’s idea of caregiving was to smother the affected party in attention and orange juice until they drowned. “That’s cruel and unusual, even for you. All you’d do is worry him Max.”

“Good! He should be worried! I’m worried!!” Throwing his hands up in the air, Max furiously gestured at the mess of hot water bottles, ibuprofen, and the old tissues that Gwen had used covertly in the night to wipe tears off her face, because fuck, the pain was bad. “Maybe Davey’s stupid enough to believe your excuses, but I’m smarter than that. You need a doctor. This isn’t a period Gwen. It’s something else.” 

Something bad, is what he didn’t say, but the implication rang loud and clear. Despite her apparent fever, Gwen felt a chill trickle down her spine. “Shit Max. When did you become such a mother hen?” 

“When I started living with you two idiots. David’s a magnet for accidents, and you? You’re too stubborn for your own good.” 

“Pot calling the kettle black,” Gwen muttered. But he made fair points. The logical part of her wouldn’t let herself ignore them, as much as she wanted to. “Fine. You win. Assuming you’re right, and I’m dying of the plague or some shit, what’s the plan? We go to the doctor? They’ll just tell me it’s something stupid, slap us with a ridiculously expensive medical bill, and we’ll come back home like nothing happened.” Nevertheless, Gwen started pulling apart her blankets, grimacing at how sweaty and damp they were. 

“Doctor’s only say stuff like that because hospitals and emergency rooms are full of entitled parents who drag their kids in for every stuffy nose and tiny ass bruise.” Max tugged on her arm, helping Gwen sit up. “Remember when David took me to the emergency room because I kept coughing? The dumbass was SO sure I’d need my tonsils taken out, he made them run all sorts of tests! Moron. Spent the whole day panicking over nothing! It was just a sore throat.”

The irony of Max whining over David’s overprotective nature wasn’t lost on her. They were rubbing off on each other in more ways than one. “I remember alright. We were paying off that little visit forever!”

“Yeah, but this isn’t a sore throat,” Max snapped. “It’s not the same thing!” 

“Uhuh, sure. Keep telling yourself that.” 

With the blankets tossed aside and her overheated body exposed to the cool apartment air, Gwen shivered, debating whether she could make it to her and David’s room if she ran. Her chances were slim. Max was small, but he was quick. And with the state she was in, he’d catch her before she even made it to the bedroom door. Fuck. 

“Quit stalling! What, do you need help up or something?” Ready to jump into action, Max grabbed her forearms, steadying her. Gwen didn’t realize she was shaking so hard until she saw his hands quivering with the force. Dammit. That wasn’t good. 

“Dial it back brat. I’m fine. I....” Gwen bit her lip, looking at the kid in front of her. He genuinely seemed concerned, beneath all the annoyance and general anger that was his default. And he wouldn’t waste her time with something stupid, unless it was a prank. Which meant—ugh. “Fuck, fine. You win. Call David.” Gwen pushed to her feet, despite the waves of nausea and agony that rushed over her. “Whatever I’ve got, we’re not wasting money on a damn ambulance. Too expensive. Call David, and he’ll come home. He’ll take us.”

“Finally, you’re making some sense!” Max snatched her phone and had it unlocked before she could blink. Of course the little devil knew her password. Gwen didn’t even know why she was surprised. Leaving him to it, she took a slow step away from the couch, but the pain in her gut stole her breath away. Gwen stumbled with a small cry, bumping her knees against the coffee table. Standing made everything ten times worse. She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. She was in agony! 

“Max,” Gwen hissed through her teeth, curling into herself. Nope, not a period! Max was absolutely right. Why hadn’t she realized? Fuckfuckfuck—-

“Gwen?? Hey! HEY!” Dark curls filled her vision, Max’s panicked face paler than usual. “Don’t you dare pass out on me! Gwen!!” Max turned away and shouted some stuff into the phone, but she didn’t catch what it was. All she could do was stare at the ceiling fan—hell. When did she get on the floor? God, was she dying? Max would never let her live this down.

“Embarrassing,” Gwen mumbled to herself, pressing her cheek against the cold wooden floor. Maybe she should’ve had Max call an ambulance instead. They’d be swimming in medical bills until the day they died, but it might be worth it. Maybe. Besides, David had insisted on paying for them all to get decent health insurance! It might not be too bad..

“Gwen??” Max was suddenly on his knees beside her, looking so small. “Gwen, wake the fuck up! I told you, you have to stay awake! Ok? David’s on his way home! I think he was crying, the big baby. I told him you were sick, and if he was a half decent boyfriend he never would’ve left you alone in the first place.” 

Rude. She might’ve said it, because it got a weak chuckle out of the kid. “What? He should’ve stayed! David knows you lie through your teeth when you’re sick. You never admit how bad off you are.” Max looked towards the front door; Gwen almost missed the anxious look he gave it. “Fucking Davey. If he’d stayed home, we’d already be halfway to the hospital right now.” 

“S’fine,” Gwen groaned, shutting her eyes. It hurt too much to keep them open. “It’s David...emergency champion. He’ll be here soon.” In the meantime, Gwen needed to sleep. Being awake hurt too much. “Max, I’ve gotta—it fucking hurts kid.” Blindly reaching for his hand, she squeezed it as tight as she could, praying to whatever god existed that this whole shitshow wouldn’t traumatize him. He’d had it hard enough in life already. “Sorry..”

Like he was shouting down a long tunnel, Gwen heard him calling her name, demanding—begging she wake up. But the most she could do was stroke his knuckles with her thumb, trying desperately to give him any sort of comfort before unconsciousness dragged her out of reach, black melting across her eyes like a soothing, painless ooze. Through the darkness there was still shouting, though it sounded more like murmuring to her.

“Gwen! Gwen!!”

Gwen………….


	2. Chapter 2

Gwen…..

“Gwen….”

Bright lights slowly began to flicker to life beneath her eyelids. Gwen stirred, mumbling to herself, a faint beeping making a chorus in her left ear. Then it was joined by the murmuring again, and a gentle hand swept across her head, tussling curls that were loose against her cheeks. She could feel them, all fluffy and—wait. Someone was holding her hand. Someone small and

“Max..” 

There was a rustling, then a loud shout of glee that made her flinch. “HA. Fucking suck it David. I always knew she secretly liked me best.” 

“Max, don’t shout! She isn’t awake yet. You don’t want to scare her.”

“Bullshit. You’re just jealous because I’m her favorite, and I was there for her when you weren’t.” That small hand gripped hers tighter, almost possessively. “Besides, she’s awake. Can’t you tell? You’re her boyfriend. You should know these things.” 

A sigh to her right; David was there. Gwen smiled a little bit, daring to crack her eyes open just a smidge. She immediately regretted it. It was too bright, but before she could complain the harsh glow softened to a gentle off white, and she sighed in relief. “Thanks..” 

“You’re welcome.” David’s voice again, sounding way too relieved and happy for her taste. “Gwen? Are you really awake?”

Gwen chuckled. “I think so. Enough to hear you two bitching at each other.” Her throat felt like sandpaper, and it left her with a harsh rasp of a voice. “Fuck. I sound like a crack whore who smokes a pack a day.” 

“Couldn’t have said it any better myself.” The grip on her hand vanished, replaced with the cold plastic of a spoon against her lips. Gwen parted them automatically, and the ice chip that dropped onto her tongue almost made her cry with relief. “Enjoy it. The doctor said you’d have to take things slow. They don’t want you to panic and choke or some shit.” Another ice chip, which Gwen greedily sucked down, only half hearing Max talk until his words fully sunk in. 

“Doctor….?” Gwen froze, eyes shooting wide open. “Oh FUCK!” She’d forgotten! How the hell did she forget?! They were at the apartment. She passed out on the floor, while Max called for help. Max, who she’d left all alone, worried and desperate and- “Max!!” Gwen frantically grabbed his hand and clutched it tight, jerking her head to the side so she could drink in the sight of the boy who only looked surprised, teal eyes wide and brows furrowed. “Are you ok??” 

Max frowned, but his fingers wrapped around hers, squeezing gently. “Davey, I think they messed up the surgery. Gwen’s way more stupid now than she was before!” 

“C’mon Max, that’s not fair. I’m sure this is all a big shock for her. The last thing Gwen probably remembers is being at the apartment. And the doctor did say she might be confused after the surgery.”

A blur of red filled her peripheral vision. Gwen could barely tear her eyes off Max to spare a glance at David, who was smiling brilliantly and looking at her like she was the entire world. A world he had almost lost. Dammit. “Hi,” Gwen mumbled, offering a haphazard smile of her own. 

“Hi Gwen,” David practically sighed her name, reaching out to tuck a strand of maroon hair behind her ear. “You look beautiful.”

“Don’t lie to her.” Max’s snark pulled her gaze back to him, and he smirked. “You do look a little better than you did before. Must be the drugs. They gave you the good stuff, said you’d need it.”

“Haha. Real funny.” Gwen shifted, finally looking around the room. Yup, definitely a hospital. Boring white sheets and blankets, pastel yellow walls. Furniture that looked a few decades out of style. “Ugh. I should’ve stayed asleep.” Glancing down, Gwen saw a hospital gown had replaced her comfy pajamas, and an iv was sticking out of her right arm. So they’d stuck her with needles. Her favorite. 

Fuck, she hated hospitals. 

“Definitely should’ve stayed asleep.” 

David laughed, forcefully cheerful. “Well, you’ve certainly earned it. The doctor said you had the worst case of peritonitis he’d ever seen!” 

“Periton—what?”

“Your appendix exploded,” Max oh so helpfully offered, pointing at the middle of her stomach. “That’s why you passed out. He said you were crazy, going that long without calling someone. Your blood could’ve gotten all infected and gross. And you could’ve died!”

“It’s called sepsis Max, and that’s not what the doctor said at all! It was just a possibility, if she wasn’t treated.” David touched her cheek, knuckles cool against her skin. “Luckily I thought to call an ambulance. The emt’s were loading you up when I made it home, so we followed behind. They wouldn’t let both of us ride with you.” Displeasure stamped that bit, David’s mouth pressed into a thin line. “Honestly, I’m of half a mind to call their supervisor!”

Max rolled his eyes. “Don’t be stupid. Ambulances are tiny! We would’ve gotten in their way.” Setting aside the cup of ice chips, Max scooted his chair closer and crawled onto the bed beside Gwen. “You got put into surgery, like, as soon as we got here. It was crazy! You had a shit ton of nurses crowded around you, and the doctors were yelling, telling everyone to get the hell out of their way! You would’ve loved it Gwen. It was like one of those shitty tv shows you like watching.” 

“Don’t exaggerate Max. It wasn’t that extreme,” David hastily retorted, giving the kid a frown. Not that he cared. Max just rolled his eyes and curled up on the bed, nestling himself into the crook of Gwen’s unfettered arm. She noticed he was in his pajamas, and—ahh. Half hidden beneath the sheets and blanket was Mr. Honey Nuts, tucked in right beside her thigh. Max must’ve put him there while she was still out. Gwen bit her lip, resisting a sigh. The kid really could be sweet, when he wanted. 

“So what else happened? They put me in surgery, fixed all the damage?” Gwen looked at David, who was watching her and Max cuddle with a soft expression, ocean green eyes gleaming with what she prayed weren’t tears. 

“Pretty much. You’ll be on antibiotics for a while, and some other things. And, um..” David hesitated, touching her thigh. “I’m sorry Gwen, but they said you’ll need to stay in the hospital for another week. They said you could still become septic.”

“Another WEEK?!” 

“Or two,” Max added. “You lucky bitch. That’s two weeks away from David’s cooking, and all the free movies you could want! Look!” He grabbed the remote sitting on the little side table beside her bed and eagerly scrolled through the movies the hospital provided. Huh, no kidding. There were a lot of options. 

“I guess that makes things easier,” Gwen muttered, slumping against the bed. The more she woke up, the more her stomach thrummed with a deep set ache. “Fuck..what, did they scrape up my insides with razor blades while they were in there?”

Max snickered, but David immediately flew into action, hands fluttering with worry as he looked towards the door. “Are you in pain Gwen? The nurse who’s been looking in on you said that you might need more medication when you woke up. I can go get her??” 

“What, so they can charge us another thousand dollars?” Feeling David’s unhappiness at that particular response, Gwen groaned. So he was gonna be like that. God, this was worse than the time she fell down the hill back at camp. “I’m kidding David, relax. Go get the nurse. I’ll just be here, trapped in this damn bed. Not going anywhere.” 

“You certainly won’t,” David firmly replied. “And don’t worry about the bills Gwen! Your health is the most important thing. Our insurance will cover most of it anyway.” Leaning over, David pecked her on the forehead, and warmth flooded Gwen’s cheeks. “You should try to get some more rest. I’ll find the nurse and send her in. If you’re alright with it, I might swing down to the cafeteria after, get Max and I some lunch?” He hopefully smiled at them both, but Max nestled closer to her and stuck his tongue out. 

“Pass Davey. Just bring me something back. I’m staying with Gwen.” 

Uhh—well, she wasn’t going to tell him no. Not when Gwen could feel Max’s tiny fist clenching in her blankets, refusing to budge. David seemed disappointed, but unsurprised. There was probably a lot to unpack there, and Gwen might give it a go, when she wasn’t exhausted and aching like she got hit by a train. “It’s fine David. If Max wants to stay, he can.” Teasing, Gwen batted her lashes. “Bring me back a sandwich?”

David chuckled. “Nice try Gwen. You’re on a liquid diet until the doctor says otherwise.” 

“Damn. It was worth a shot.” 

“Mhmm.” David laughed again and kissed the corner of her mouth, warm breath tickling her skin. Gwen craved more, suddenly desperate for affection, but he was out the door before she could even ask. Huffing, she glanced around the room. Yellow, brown, boring fluorescent lights, and scary looking hospital equipment she wanted no part in. All in all, boring. 

“You know, this place is a shithole, but I’ve definitely seen worse.”

“Tell me about it.” 

Gwen glanced down at the kid at her side. Max was tired, she could see that much. He had faint bags under his eyes, and kept biting back yawns. God, this whole thing had to have been exhausting for him. She still remembered how he’d been yelling at her back at the apartment, begging her to stay awake. She’d scared the hell out of him. “Hey,” Gwen nudged Max’s side with her elbow. “You gonna be ok if I go back to sleep?”

“Duh.” Max snorted. “I’m not David Gwen. I won’t burst into tears or anything.” 

That was debatable. Parts of the apartment fiasco were fuzzy, but she clearly remembered Max crying. Gwen didn’t say anything though. He didn’t need reminding, and she didn’t want to stress him out. “Cool. Because I feel like shit.” Gwen curled her arm as much around Max as she could manage. He sank into her grip, resting his head on her shoulder. “I think you could use some shut eye too.”

“Yeah, well. You try getting any sleep with David hovering around. All he does is whine about how worried he is, cry anytime your breathing stutters, and generally act like a crazy helicopter parent.” Max huffed, but none of it had any bite. “He’s insane.”

“He means well,” Gwen murmured, nosing the top of Max’s curly head. “But he can be a giant pain in the ass.

“Don’t I know it.”

They fell into silence after that, the steady beat of Gwen’s heart monitor and quiet drone of the tv a faint background noise to their breathing. She almost thought Max had fallen asleep, until he sniffed. “Hey Gwen? You’re gonna be ok….right? David tries to make shit seem all fine and whatever, but he never tells the full truth.”

Like her heart wasn’t already breaking for him. Gwen was pretty sure it shattered then and there. “That’s David for you. He doesn’t want anyone to worry. Least of all you.” She smiled, letting her eyes slip closed again. Fuck, she was tired. “I’ll be fine Max. Another week or two, and I’ll get to go home.” Home. It totally beat out this place. “Getting your appendix taken out is no big deal, explosion or not. I just need some bed rest, and to not think about the expensive ass medical bill coming our way.”

“We’ve got this. David can work some overtime.” 

“He’ll have to.” And that was some guilt inducement. Still, another thought for another day. Gwen pushed it aside, sinking back into a cloudy sleep. Max’s breathing was slowing too, until she’d bet money the kid was out like a light. “I think we’ve both earned it,” Gwen whispered hazily into his hair, giving the locks a soft kiss. “Thanks, you little shit.” 

She faded off completely after that, Max snug and safe in her arms. Maybe lying half crippled in a hospital bed wasn’t the best place to be, but Gwen wouldn’t change the company for the world. They were family. And family cared for each other.


End file.
